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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. row — a line
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — a price
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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