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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. march — the month
  3. key — in music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. march — music
  8. present — a gift
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mine — for digging
  11. march — the month
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. key — the most important part
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mark — a grade
  21. present — there
  22. key — for a lock
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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