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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. firm — a company
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. firm — steady
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. court — for sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spell — letters
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — of law
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. file — a tool
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. court — of a king

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