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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mark — a trace
  7. land — ground
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. content — the amount
  12. land — to come down
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. land — a country
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — certain
  19. content — happy
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bound — obliged
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mark — a grade

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