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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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Word bank
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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — a break
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — in music

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