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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. file — a tool
  4. bass — low music
  5. fall — the season
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a document
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bass — the fish
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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