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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bound — tied together
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bound — certain
  13. bore — to tire
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. snap — to click
  19. bound — obliged
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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