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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. march — the month
  4. spring — of water
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. march — music
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — all right
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. suit — clothes
  15. march — the month
  16. spring — a coil
  17. firm — steady
  18. spring — the season
  19. file — a document
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — decided
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fine — high quality
  24. suit — to fit

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