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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. object — a thing
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rash — a series
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. object — an aim
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — music
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stock — goods
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. object — to protest
  24. rash — hasty

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