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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — to wash
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. shower — rain
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. current — happening now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. lie — to recline

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