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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pit — a hole
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. tear — from crying
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — in a race
  13. charge — a price
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. firm — a company
  20. bat — the animal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. racket — a loud noise

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