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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spell — letters
  6. tube — a container
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. spell — a short time
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wake — a trail
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. deal — to handle
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spell — magic
  22. rush — hurry
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — with your hand

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