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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. spring — of water
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. spring — the season
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rush — hurry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pass — a permit
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rush — to hurry

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