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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 120 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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — clever
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — a tool

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