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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — a price
  4. rush — hurry
  5. charge — in control
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. present — a gift
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pound — a weight
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. deal — a big deal

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