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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fall — to drop
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rest — a break
  20. fall — the season
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. row — a line
  24. stand — to bear

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