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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. scale — in music
  5. ground — a position
  6. staff — employees
  7. ground — crushed
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. tube — the underground
  13. suit — clothes
  14. scale — size or range
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ground — the earth
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — in cards

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