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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. 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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. field — a subject
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. net — in sport
  6. field — farmland
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rash — a series
  10. field — for sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rash — hasty
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — after costs
  18. 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