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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. track — a path
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. saw — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — a song
  24. bass — low 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