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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 124 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. kid — child
  9. club — for golf
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — a group
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. key — in music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. deal — to handle
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rock — music
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wave — with your hand

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