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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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. present — the time now
  2. wind — moving air
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cap — of ice
  9. present — a gift
  10. cap — a hat
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. last — final
  13. present — there
  14. wind — moving air
  15. last — finally
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. can — a tin
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. wave — of the sea
  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