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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. object — to protest
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — for money
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bound — certain
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — an aim
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bat — the animal
  24. object — a thing

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