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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. spring — of water
  11. fine — high quality
  12. court — of law
  13. court — of a king
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. toast — bread
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spring — the season
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. court — for sport

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