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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · wake · mark · staff · wave · fan · stick · prune

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — a trace
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — to be able to

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