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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — to visit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — a division
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pop — soda
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pop — music
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. nail — on a finger

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