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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. tube — a container
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. saw — the tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. band — a ring
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. charge — electricity
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. tube — the underground
  11. charge — a price
  12. object — a thing
  13. charge — in control
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a music group
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. hand — help
  24. object — to protest

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