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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cue — a signal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ground — a position
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stock — goods
  14. charge — a price
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ground — the earth
  18. charge — in control
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  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