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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — in cards
  3. track — a song
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. shower — rain
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. track — a path
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. shower — to wash
  19. game — wild animals
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — clothes
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. suit — to fit

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