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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. land — a country
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bound — certain
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. land — to come down
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. land — ground
  19. last — finally
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. stock — goods
  24. bound — tied together

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