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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hand — help
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. firm — a company
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. shower — rain
  14. firm — decided
  15. hand — in cards
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. firm — steady

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