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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — a path
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chip — for betting
  7. squash — the sport
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. track — to keep track
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. track — a song

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