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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. ground — crushed
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ground — a position
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. can — to be able to
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — thin
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. deal — an agreement

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