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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. deal — to handle
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mine — an explosive

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