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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cap — a lid
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wind — moving air

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