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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: wave · wake · roll · mate · mine · safe · rush · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mine — for digging
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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