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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bat — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. craft — boats
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chip — for betting
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mark — to pay attention

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