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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. firm — decided
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — a company
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bound — tied together
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. firm — steady
  20. race — humankind
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — a container
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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