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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 116 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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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: ruler · wave · deal · bear · ground · stick · kid · sharp

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ground — a position
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kid — child
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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