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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — a division
  12. cold — an illness
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cold — not warm
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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