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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stock — shares
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — in control
  15. stock — goods
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cold — not warm
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lean — thin

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