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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. staff — employees
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wind — moving air
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bear — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cap — a lid
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cap — of ice

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