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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — in music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. court — of a king
  6. scale — size or range
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — for digging
  13. kid — child
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. court — for sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. staff — a stick
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kid — to tease
  22. staff — employees
  23. deal — to handle
  24. court — of law

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