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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — a short time
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. hand — help
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. craft — boats
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. spell — letters
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. spell — magic
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. suit — clothes
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — a stone

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