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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · spell · kick · ground · fine · nail · safe · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — in football
  5. spell — a short time
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mine — for digging
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. spell — letters
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ground — a position
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — the earth

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