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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — steady
  11. rush — hurry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. tube — a container
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. present — a gift
  19. firm — a company
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. firm — decided

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