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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. craft — boats
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pound — for dogs

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