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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.

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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 · fan · race · mouse · trunk · wind · wave · chip

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. race — the arms race
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. wind — moving air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. race — humankind
  23. chip — to eat
  24. trunk — of a car

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