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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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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: cold · wave · pound · plane · rest · cap · safe · racket

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cold — not warm
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — a break
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — with your hand

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