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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
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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: plane · mate · wave · safe · ground · drill · bound · march

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. march — the month
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. plane — a tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ground — the earth
  13. mate — a friend
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mate — to breed
  23. march — the month
  24. bound — obliged

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