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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. band — a ring
  10. key — in music
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cold — an illness
  16. rush — hurry
  17. key — for a lock
  18. band — a music group
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. key — the most important part

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