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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. last — to go on
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. last — final
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — finally
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. file — a document
  14. rush — hurry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — a container
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. file — a tool

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