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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — there
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mug — a cup
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — decided
  23. kick — in football
  24. mug — a face

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