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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.

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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. row — to paddle
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. saw — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. row — a line
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lean — to rest against
  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