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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: wind · wave · land · nail · press · mug · rock · rash

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mug — a face
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — ground
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rock — music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. press — to push
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. land — to come down
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — a series
  24. wind — moving 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