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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. can — a tin
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rash — a series

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