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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — a permit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. dip — to sink

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