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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chest — a box
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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