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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. suit — clothes
  5. staff — employees
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. suit — in cards
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — to fit
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. sharp — with an edge

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