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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. hand — help
  7. land — ground
  8. roll — a list
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. hand — 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