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

Word bank: object · staff · rush · kick · toast · pit · wind · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pit — in a race
  14. staff — a stick
  15. kick — in football
  16. object — to protest
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. staff — employees
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — an aim
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. object — a thing
  24. staff — employees

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