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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. mate — to breed
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. swing — in golf
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mate — a partner
  13. deal — to handle
  14. swing — music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — hurry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. roll — a list
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mate — a friend
  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