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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mark — a grade
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — to protest
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. object — a thing
  11. fork — in a road
  12. shower — to wash
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a trace
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — a tool

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