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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.

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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: bowl · wind · spell · lash · bear · saw · stick · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wind — moving air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spell — magic
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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