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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chest — a box
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chest — of your body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — in sport
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. firm — steady
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. chest — of your body
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wind — moving air
  20. firm — decided
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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