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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. last — to go on

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