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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: stick · wave · deal · safe · file · craft · mouse · present

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. file — a tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. craft — boats
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. present — a gift
  15. craft — a skill
  16. file — a document
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. present — there
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. file — a line of people

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