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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. wind — moving air
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. row — to paddle
  14. wind — moving air
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rush — hurry
  20. row — a line
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  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