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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. court — of law
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bass — low music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — for digging
  14. court — for sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of a king
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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