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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chip — to eat
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. object — a thing
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bark — to shout
  21. object — an aim
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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