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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hand — help
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. row — to paddle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. hand — in cards
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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