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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. game — a match
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — to fit
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a song
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. track — a path
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. suit — in cards
  23. game — wild animals
  24. land — ground

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