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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — a leader
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — a stone
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. hand — help

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