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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. last — to go on
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spell — letters
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. last — finally
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. object — a thing
  21. last — final
  22. spell — magic
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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