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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: chest · wave · safe · pitcher · arm · hand · degree · bowl

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. hand — help
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chest — a box
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bowl — a dish

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