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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pound — a weight
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mark — a grade
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. game — a match
  10. saw — the tool
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mark — a trace
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hand — help
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a great time

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