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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: chair · field · wake · mark · safe · ruler · kick · wave

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — a grade
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — in football
  16. field — a subject
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. field — for sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. field — farmland

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