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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. present — the time now
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ground — a position
  18. present — there
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — a gift
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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