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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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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: key · net · bat · wave · stand · deal · dip · rush

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bat — the animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — in sport
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — hurry

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