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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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468
Word bank
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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. band — a ring
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. present — there
  11. cue — a signal
  12. present — the time now
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. drill — the tool
  23. present — a gift
  24. band — a music group

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