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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. content — the amount
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — to handle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — happy
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cold — an illness
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cold — not warm

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