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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wake — a trail
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. content — happy
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wind — moving air
  24. scale — size or range

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