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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rest — a break
  4. clip — to cut
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rest — what's left
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. temple — a place of worship

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