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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a document
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. toast — bread
  17. current — happening now
  18. fork — in a road
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. roll — a cake
  21. chip — to eat
  22. roll — a list
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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