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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.

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: wave · rush · kick · wound · spring · ball · bear · deal

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. kick — in football
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. spring — the season
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. spring — a coil
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. deal — to handle
  22. spring — of water
  23. wound — an injury
  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