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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — a country
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — ground
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. game — wild animals
  12. firm — a company
  13. can — a tin
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lean — thin
  17. can — a tin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. land — to come down
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. game — a match
  24. lean — to bend

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