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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. kick — in football
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. firm — decided
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fall — the season
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fall — to drop

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