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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lean — thin
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — money
  13. track — a path
  14. lean — to bend
  15. land — a country
  16. capital — a city
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. land — ground
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. track — a song
  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