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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.

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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. row — a line
  6. rush — hurry
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cue — for pool
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pound — a weight
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pound — for dogs

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