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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. scale — in music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. root — the cause
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — an illness
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. root — of a word
  24. press — newspapers

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