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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: mug · field · wave · hide · leaves · swing · safe · kid

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mug — a cup
  6. field — farmland
  7. kid — child
  8. mug — to rob
  9. field — a subject
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mug — a face
  19. swing — to play on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kid — to tease
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. swing — music
  24. leaves — of a tree

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