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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lean — to bend
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lean — thin
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rush — hurry

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