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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. tube — the underground
  5. band — a ring
  6. object — to protest
  7. tube — a container
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — a break
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. object — a thing
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lean — thin
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. band — a music group
  18. lean — to bend
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. object — an aim

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