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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. object — to protest
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cue — a signal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. object — an aim
  14. stand — to bear
  15. object — a thing
  16. race — a contest
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tear — from crying
  22. race — humankind
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rock — music

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