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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. club — a group
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. club — for golf
  10. drill — army training
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. suit — clothes
  19. club — for dancing
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — to fit
  22. drill — a practice
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — the tool

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