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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wake — a trail
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pass — a permit
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. prune — the fruit

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