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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — to handle
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rock — music
  6. row — a line
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wake — a trail
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. can — a tin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. prune — to trim
  24. row — to paddle

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