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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: season · craft · hand · ground · safe · firm · rash · wake

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. firm — steady
  7. ground — crushed
  8. season — of the year
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. firm — a company
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. season — in sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rash — a series
  18. hand — help
  19. craft — boats
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ground — a position
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. safe — out of danger

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