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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. plane — a tool
  7. present — the time now
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cell — in biology
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cell — a phone
  23. stand — to bear
  24. present — there

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