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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fall — the season
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. deal — to handle
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a dance
  24. track — to keep track

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