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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. rest — a break
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. rest — what's left
  12. deal — to handle
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — help
  15. craft — boats
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. craft — a skill
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cold — not warm
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. hand — part of the body

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