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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. band — a music group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. club — for golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — for dancing
  21. band — a ring
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. club — a group

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