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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. game — wild animals
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — a hint
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bat — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. cue — for pool
  18. game — a match
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. spell — magic
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. club — for dancing

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