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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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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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. 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. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fall — to drop
  6. toast — bread
  7. shower — rain
  8. object — to protest
  9. shower — to wash
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. staff — employees
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. 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