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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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468
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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. staff — employees
  10. bear — the animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rest — a break

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