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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 116 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — a thing
  13. kick — in football
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. object — to protest
  18. wind — moving air
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. track — a song
  23. object — an aim
  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