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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — a break
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mouse — for a computer

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