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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. land — ground
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ground — the earth
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — a match
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. ground — a position
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. craft — a skill
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. craft — boats
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bark — to shout
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. game — wild animals

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