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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mate — to breed
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. fork — in a road
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pop — soda
  12. track — a song
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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