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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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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: spell · wave · jam · leaves · pound · mark · chair · fall

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — a grade
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — a trace
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — magic
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — a short time

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