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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — clothes
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pit — in a race
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pit — a hole
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. suit — to fit
  24. trunk — 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