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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: firm · safe · wave · cell · pound · date · trunk · wake

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cell — in biology
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. pound — a weight
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. firm — a company
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. date — the fruit

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