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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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — a stone
  3. last — final
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rock — music
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. kid — child
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kid — to tease
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. last — finally
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. last — to go on
  24. bulb — for light

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