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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. land — ground
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. swing — music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. current — electric
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — of water
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. current — happening now
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. land — to come down
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fork — in a road
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — to confront
  23. land — a country
  24. swing — to play on

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