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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. object — an aim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — to protest
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rest — a break
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. object — a thing

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