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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. squash — the sport
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — a tin
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. drill — a practice
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. drill — the tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — to handle
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. drill — army training
  19. ground — a position
  20. can — to be able to
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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