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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fine — high quality
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — in control
  16. club — for dancing
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — all right
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. net — after costs
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — electricity
  24. net — in sport

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