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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. content — the amount
  3. press — to push
  4. craft — a skill
  5. press — newspapers
  6. track — a song
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. content — happy
  12. track — a path
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. track — to keep track
  15. craft — boats
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. craft — a handicraft

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