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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: cue · pit · safe · wave · rash · bear · wound · net

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. net — after costs
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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