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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — there
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — of a word
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. root — the cause
  24. wound — an injury

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