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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.

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: safe · key · band · object · wave · plane · stick · fan

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. object — to protest
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — the most important part
  8. band — a music group
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. object — an aim
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. band — a ring
  15. key — in music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. object — a thing
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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