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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wind — moving air
  4. root — the cause
  5. key — for a lock
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. race — a contest
  8. key — in music
  9. spell — letters
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — a short time
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wind — moving air
  15. tube — a container
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. spell — magic
  21. key — the most important part
  22. race — humankind
  23. root — of a word
  24. wave — with your hand

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