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

Word bank: key · kick · sharp · row · fall · wave · last · fine

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. sharp — clever
  7. last — final
  8. row — a line
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fall — to drop
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fine — all right
  18. fall — the season
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. key — in music
  21. kick — in football
  22. fall — to drop
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. row — a quarrel

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