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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. can — a tin
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lean — to bend
  19. branch — a division
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bat — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bore — to tire

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