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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. scale — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — decided
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. can — a tin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — steady
  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