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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. tube — a container
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. scale — in music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. tube — the underground
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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