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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — steady
  7. field — for sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. field — a subject
  11. firm — decided
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. field — farmland
  23. firm — a company
  24. mine — for digging

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