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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fine — all right
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. deal — to handle
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. plane — an aircraft

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