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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rash — a series
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. prune — to trim
  6. file — a line of people
  7. object — an aim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — a thing
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. craft — a skill
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. file — a document
  20. object — to protest
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. file — a tool
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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