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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. lean — thin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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