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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — army training
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — a trail
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. file — a document
  17. rest — a break
  18. hand — help
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. drill — a practice
  24. file — a tool

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