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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. spring — a coil
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. spring — of water
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spring — the season
  13. cap — a hat
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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