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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. court — of a king
  3. spell — magic
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spell — letters
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. court — of law
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. court — for sport
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rush — hurry

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