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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spell — letters
  10. lean — thin
  11. wake — a trail
  12. march — music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fine — all right
  16. spell — magic
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lean — to bend
  21. march — the month
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wake — before a funeral

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