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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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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: cap · stand · safe · wake · pass · wave · pit · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pit — in a race
  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