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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 120 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
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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: mouse · court · rash · wave · safe · arm · land · rush

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. land — to come down
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. land — ground
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rash — hasty
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. court — of law
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rash — a series
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. court — for sport
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. land — a country
  23. court — of a king
  24. arm — a part of something

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