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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mate — a partner
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fall — the season
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fall — to drop
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chair — to sit on

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