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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — to tire
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. squash — to crush
  24. fork — a garden tool

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