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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. swing — in golf
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. swing — to play on
  6. toast — bread
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. race — humankind
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — what's left

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