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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. current — electric
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lean — thin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — of water
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. current — happening now
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wake — a trail

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