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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: game · squash · fork · wave · rush · safe · chair · suit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. suit — clothes
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — a match
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rush — hurry
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fork — in a road
  22. chair — a leader
  23. game — wild animals
  24. chair — to sit on

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