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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — a container
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. tube — the underground
  15. degree — from a university
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ball — a dance

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