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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fall — to drop
  3. row — a line
  4. current — of water
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — a break
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — happening now
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. current — electric
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fall — the season

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