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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. key — the most important part
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. snap — to click
  19. degree — from a university
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — a sauce

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