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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. field — a subject
  4. wound — an injury
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — for sport
  15. land — a country
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. land — to come down
  18. band — a music group
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. root — of a word
  21. band — a ring
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. deal — to handle
  24. vault — a safe

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