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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. band — a music group
  10. firm — decided
  11. ground — crushed
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. band — a ring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — in a race
  19. firm — a company
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ground — a position
  23. firm — steady
  24. wake — a trail

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