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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. land — to come down
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. land — a country
  5. staff — employees
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. object — to protest
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mark — a grade
  23. land — ground
  24. mark — a trace

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