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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. spell — magic
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bank — for money
  5. cell — in biology
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spell — letters
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bank — of a river
  24. arm — part of the body

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