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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. face — to confront
  7. prune — to trim
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — for dogs

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