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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wake — a trail
  3. shower — to wash
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. shower — rain
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. object — to protest
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. object — an aim
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. suit — clothes
  20. land — ground
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — a country

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