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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bore — to tire
  8. land — ground
  9. net — for catching
  10. game — a match
  11. net — after costs
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — to drill
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — in cards
  17. land — to come down
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. land — a country
  20. net — in sport
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — to fit

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