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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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. kick — with a leg
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — help
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spring — the season
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. hand — in cards
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cue — a hint
  24. leaves — of a tree

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