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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · rush · face · safe · mine · charge · pound · wave

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pound — a weight
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. charge — in control
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mine — for digging
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  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