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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: field · wave · band · safe · deal · charge · toast · rush

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. field — farmland
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. field — for sport
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a ring
  11. charge — a price
  12. field — a subject
  13. band — a music group
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. charge — electricity
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — of the sea

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