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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rash — a series

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