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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a face
  8. content — happy
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — the season
  18. mug — to rob
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — the amount
  24. rush — hurry

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