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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. file — a document
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. key — in music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. land — to come down
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. land — a country
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. file — a tool
  15. land — ground
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. content — happy
  18. key — the most important part
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. file — a line of people
  21. content — the amount
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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