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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rest — a break
  7. file — a line of people
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. capital — a city
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. file — a tool
  12. toast — bread
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a document
  17. snap — to click
  18. capital — money
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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