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

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a signal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cue — a hint
  9. branch — a division
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — for pool
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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