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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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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — a measure
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — finally
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. last — to go on
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. snap — to click
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. last — final

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