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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stock — goods
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. track — a song
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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