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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 116 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. object — to protest
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ground — a position
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ground — crushed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — a thing
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stand — on your feet

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