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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. spring — a coil
  3. file — a document
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. file — a tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spring — the season
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wound — an injury
  17. object — to protest
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. object — a thing
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — an injury
  24. plane — a tool

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