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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — to handle
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pit — a hole
  18. club — for dancing
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pound — a weight

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