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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bulb · wave · kid · key · hand · game · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. hand — help
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hand — in cards
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kid — to tease
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — a match

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