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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. staff — employees
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — a grade
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. suit — clothes
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pound — to hit hard

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