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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: arm · safe · capital · nail · bear · current · bay · wave

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — of water
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. capital — a city
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. capital — money
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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