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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cell — a phone
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — all right
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rest — what's left
  15. object — a thing
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wax — to grow
  18. object — to protest
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — an aim
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. arm — a part of something

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