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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · leaves · wave · wake · bat · pound · ruler · fan

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. key — in music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fan — to cool the 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