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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. present — the time now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — a gift
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fall — the season
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. march — the month
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — there
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. march — music
  19. deal — to handle
  20. march — the month
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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