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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. charge — a price
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rush — hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wind — moving air
  14. charge — in control
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. charge — electricity

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