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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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. stand — for spectators
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. sharp — clever
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. object — an aim
  13. mug — a face
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. object — a thing
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mug — a cup
  24. object — to protest

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