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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — boats
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. lash — an eyelash

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