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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — after costs
  6. rest — a break
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bulb — for light
  11. content — happy
  12. suit — in cards
  13. net — in sport
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — the amount
  18. rest — what's left
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rash — a series

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