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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. spell — a short time
  10. deal — to handle
  11. snap — to click
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spell — magic
  16. track — a song
  17. pop — to visit
  18. root — the cause
  19. track — to keep track
  20. root — of a word
  21. spell — letters
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. track — a path

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