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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tube — a container
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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