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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — in football
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fork — in a road
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. can — a tin

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