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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 116 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: wave · kid · tear · face · safe · perch · board · bay

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. tear — from crying
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. face — to point toward
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tear — from crying
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. kid — child
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. face — to confront

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