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

Word bank: deal · wave · present · cabinet · foot · tear

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — to rip
  13. present — a gift
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying

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