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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. hand — help
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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