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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. root — of a plant
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. club — for golf
  24. wave — with your hand

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