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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. shower — rain

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