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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: arm · safe · bowl · present · row · mouse · fine · wake

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — a gift
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. present — the time now
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. row — a line
  20. present — there
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fine — all right

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