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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: roll · safe · rash · wake · mine · wound · fan · deal

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — to handle
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mine — for digging
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. rash — a series
  20. roll — a cake
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. roll — a list
  24. wound — an injury

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