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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cold — an illness
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cold — not warm
  8. foot — a measure
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — decided
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. firm — steady
  19. kid — child
  20. firm — a company
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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