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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: season · cabinet · fall · swing · wave · safe · tube · perch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. swing — in golf
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. swing — music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. swing — to play on
  14. season — in sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — of the year
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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