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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mate — to breed
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — a break
  24. deal — an agreement

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