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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. face — to confront
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. prune — to trim
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lean — thin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — of the sea

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