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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · fine · wave · kid · bear · plane · pit · rush

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kid — to tease
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rush — hurry
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. squash — to crush
  14. kid — child
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pit — a hole
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fine — all right
  24. wave — with your hand

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