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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 124 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chest — of your body
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bore — to tire
  7. swing — in golf
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — for sport
  11. chest — a box
  12. court — of law
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. firm — decided
  21. swing — music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. chest — of your body

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