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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 120 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: pound · spell · mark · safe · march · bear · wave · tube

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — the underground
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. spell — letters
  10. march — the month
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — a weight
  15. march — music
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. spell — magic
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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