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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — humankind
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — shares
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. staff — employees
  13. race — a contest
  14. rock — a stone
  15. kick — in football
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — to trim
  18. staff — employees
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stock — goods
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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