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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · tear · season · bowl · staff · wave

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — of the year
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. staff — employees
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — in sport
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — to handle
  15. staff — a stick
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bowl — a dish

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