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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — to handle
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. drill — army training
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. band — a music group
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. band — a ring
  22. fork — in a road
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. deal — a big deal

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