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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. kick — in football
  3. last — final
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. last — to go on
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. last — finally
  8. drill — army training
  9. fall — the season
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. drill — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bowl — a football final

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