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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — in music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. present — a gift
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. present — there
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rash — a series
  18. rest — a break
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. present — the time now

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