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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pit — a hole
  3. suit — in cards
  4. craft — boats
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. shower — rain
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fine — all right
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. shower — to wash
  20. kick — in football
  21. pit — in a race
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — with your hand

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