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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. object — an aim
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. plane — a tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fall — to drop
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ground — a position
  17. object — a thing
  18. fall — the season
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — to protest
  24. fine — high quality

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