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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. file — a line of people
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. file — a document
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bat — the animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. file — a tool

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