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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. toast — bread
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — the underground
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. suit — clothes
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. shower — rain
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — in cards
  24. leaves — of a tree

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