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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: cue · present · rush · wave · lean · bear · chip · wound

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. present — the time now
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. present — there
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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