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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. band — a ring
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. vault — a safe
  14. game — a match
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bass — low music
  23. tube — a container
  24. band — a music 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