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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pound — a weight
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. net — for catching
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. key — in music
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bass — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. deal — to handle
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wind — moving air
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pound — for dogs

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