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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 116 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: game · wave · root · pit · saw · safe · spell · fall

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — wild animals
  7. root — of a plant
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. root — of a word
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spell — letters
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fall — to drop
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fall — the season
  19. spell — magic
  20. root — the cause
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a hole

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