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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. last — finally
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bore — to drill
  7. foot — a measure
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bat — the animal
  11. last — to go on
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. prune — to trim
  19. tube — the underground
  20. prune — to trim
  21. tube — a container
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. last — final
  24. bore — gave birth

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