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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.

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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: tear · mug · rush · cold · kid · season · safe · wave

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. season — of the year
  5. cold — not warm
  6. tear — from crying
  7. kid — to tease
  8. season — in sport
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. tear — to rip
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mug — to rob
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wave — with your hand

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