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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. object — to protest
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hand — in cards
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — a trail
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. snap — to click
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rock — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hand — help
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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