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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fall — the season
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ball — a dance
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fall — to drop
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. sharp — clever
  17. object — an aim
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — to protest
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. object — a thing

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