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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 116 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: bay · wave · safe · pass · mate · row · plane · ball

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pass — a permit
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. row — to paddle
  10. plane — a tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mate — to breed

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