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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. pit — a hole
  8. clip — to cut
  9. track — a song
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. clip — a video
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — a contest
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. track — to keep track
  22. race — humankind
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. root — of a plant

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