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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a dance
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. root — the cause
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fine — high quality
  19. current — electric
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. root — of a word
  23. chest — of your body
  24. fine — all right

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