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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. ground — crushed
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ground — a position
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — an aim
  22. branch — a division
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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