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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — an aim
  7. deal — to handle
  8. row — a line
  9. object — to protest
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a dance
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fall — the season
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. object — a thing

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