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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: wave · wake · kid · lean · ruler · fork · fine · mug

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lean — to bend
  6. kid — child
  7. mug — to rob
  8. lean — thin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — all right
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a face
  20. kid — to tease
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — a monarch

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