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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · plane · mouse · lie · hide · tube · wave · firm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. tube — a container
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. firm — steady
  22. plane — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com