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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. deal — to handle
  4. saw — the tool
  5. current — happening now
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — from a university
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. staff — employees
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. current — of water
  17. staff — a stick
  18. current — electric
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. degree — an amount
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — of the sea

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