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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spell — letters
  3. current — happening now
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. lean — thin
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lean — to bend
  11. band — a ring
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. band — a music group
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. current — electric
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. current — of water

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