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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wake — a trail
  7. degree — from a university
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. season — in sport
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. season — of the year
  22. shower — to wash
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chip — for betting

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