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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fall — the season
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. degree — from a university
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. hand — in cards
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lean — thin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — for tennis

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