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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 120 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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hand — help
  24. cue — a hint

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