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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — a series
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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