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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. chip — in a computer
  4. toast — bread
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. chip — for betting
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. chip — to eat
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

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