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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fall — the season
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — a song
  8. tube — a container
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. track — a path
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rush — hurry

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