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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.

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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. race — the arms race
  4. sharp — clever
  5. race — humankind
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — magic
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. prune — to trim
  18. race — a contest

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