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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. staff — employees
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. staff — employees
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ground — a position
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mark — a trace
  17. deal — to handle
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mark — a grade
  22. staff — a stick
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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