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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. land — a country
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. row — to paddle
  7. can — a tin
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — a trail
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. land — ground
  21. row — a line
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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