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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — the tool
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lash — an eyelash

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