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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. sharp — clever
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. shower — rain
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fine — all right
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tube — a container
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. spell — a short time
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — the underground
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fine — high quality

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