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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rash — a series
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. face — to confront
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mate — a friend

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