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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. game — a match
  5. row — a line
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. can — to be able to
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mark — a trace
  10. can — a tin
  11. kid — child
  12. can — a tin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rest — a break
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mark — a grade
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rest — what's left

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