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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. land — ground
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — a division
  7. ground — the earth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — to fit
  10. content — the amount
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. staff — employees
  16. ground — crushed
  17. land — to come down
  18. staff — a stick
  19. tube — the underground
  20. content — happy
  21. tube — a container
  22. suit — in cards
  23. land — a country
  24. ground — a position

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