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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. present — a gift
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spell — magic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — government
  14. present — the time now
  15. scale — in music
  16. present — there
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. scale — size or range
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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