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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mug — a face
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spell — letters
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. board — to get on
  9. spell — magic
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. board — a committee
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rash — a series
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. spell — a short time
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mug — a cup
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rash — hasty

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