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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rash — a series
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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