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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — a container
  3. rest — a break
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tube — the underground
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wake — a trail
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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