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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. row — to paddle
  6. hand — in cards
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — the time now
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. drill — army training
  14. present — there
  15. row — a line
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — thin
  19. hand — help
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. drill — the tool
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. safe — out of danger

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