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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rest — what's left
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. net — after costs
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. date — the fruit
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rush — hurry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — for catching
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rest — a break
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. net — in sport
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rest — what's left

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