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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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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: jam · safe · ground · kick · wave · chip · wind · arm

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wind — moving air
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ground — a position
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. chip — to eat
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. safe — a strongbox

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