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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. land — a country
  5. spell — magic
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. press — to push
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pop — to visit
  13. land — to come down
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pop — music
  17. press — newspapers
  18. land — ground
  19. root — of a word
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pop — soda
  22. spell — a short time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spell — letters

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