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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.

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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — a phone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. row — a line
  9. season — in sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — of the year
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. perch — the fish
  20. charge — in control
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pitcher — a jug

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