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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rock — music
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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