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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. firm — decided
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. firm — steady
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rash — hasty
  9. plane — a tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — a series
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. craft — a skill
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. firm — a company

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