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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tube — the underground
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. deal — to handle
  7. tube — a container
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bowl — a football final

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