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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: jam · safe · wave · kid · chest · bulb · scale · leaves

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chest — a box
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. scale — in music
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kid — child
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. kid — to tease

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