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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. file — a tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. roll — a list
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — a cake
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. file — a line of people
  11. firm — decided
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ball — a great time
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. file — a document
  17. charge — in control
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — a company
  22. ball — a dance
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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