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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rest — what's left
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kid — child
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — moving air
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rest — a break
  18. kid — to tease

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