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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 124 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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. content — the amount
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. current — of water
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — happening now
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. current — electric
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. spell — letters
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. toast — bread
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bore — to drill
  22. content — happy
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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