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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. firm — steady
  3. last — finally
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — in sport
  6. object — a thing
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. last — final
  11. craft — a skill
  12. object — an aim
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. last — to go on
  15. cell — a phone
  16. row — a line
  17. object — to protest
  18. firm — a company
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — boats
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. firm — decided

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