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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: present · wave · fine · race · wound · cabinet · staff · bear

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. present — the time now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — a contest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fine — high quality
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. present — there
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. race — humankind
  24. wave — of the sea

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