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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cell — a phone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — in control
  12. degree — temperature
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cue — a hint
  15. charge — a price
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cue — for pool
  18. degree — an amount
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. charge — electricity

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