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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — to bear
  3. staff — employees
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. foot — a measure
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. staff — employees
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wind — moving air

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