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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cue — a signal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. can — a tin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — a hint
  16. can — a tin
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wind — to turn a key

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