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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. can — a tin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — music
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rock — to move gently

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