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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: hide · root · swing · object · wind · jam · hand · safe

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — moving air
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. swing — to play on
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. root — of a plant
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wind — moving air
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. swing — music
  16. hand — help
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. root — of a word
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. swing — in golf
  22. root — the cause
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. object — an aim

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