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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rock — a stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. last — final
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. last — finally
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. key — in music
  19. last — to go on
  20. bat — the animal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rock — music

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