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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. season — in sport
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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