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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — in cards
  7. last — to go on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. last — final
  12. land — a country
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. last — finally
  18. land — to come down
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitch — a sports field

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