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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. staff — a stick
  7. spring — the season
  8. chest — of your body
  9. spring — of water
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. spring — a coil
  16. chest — a box
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — bread

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