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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: wave · squash · dip · race · roll · file · safe · fine

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. file — a line of people
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. race — a contest
  7. fine — high quality
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — all right
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. file — a document
  20. dip — to sink
  21. squash — to crush
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. safe — out of danger

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