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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · present · wave · deal · wound · spring · fan · row

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. deal — to handle
  4. present — there
  5. spring — of water
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — the time now
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. row — a line
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spring — the season
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — a gift

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