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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. file — a line of people
  8. charge — in control
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. file — a document
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. charge — electricity
  15. file — a tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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