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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 116 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wind — moving air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ground — crushed
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wind — moving air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. craft — boats
  17. ground — a position
  18. wind — to turn a key

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