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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
468
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: bay · tear · fan · spring · wave · bowl · safe · rush

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. tear — from crying
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. rush — hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spring — a coil
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a part 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