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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ground — the earth
  5. content — the amount
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. capital — money
  8. content — happy
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. capital — a city
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — a tin
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. can — a tin
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. straw — dry grass

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