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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lean — thin
  8. game — a match
  9. rest — a break
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rest — what's left
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. game — wild animals
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lean — to bend
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. can — a tin

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