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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: deal · ground · can · key · spell · wave · fork · shower

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. shower — to wash
  9. spell — letters
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — in a road
  18. ground — a position
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. shower — rain
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ground — the earth

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