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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. last — to go on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. file — a line of people
  10. can — a tin
  11. file — a tool
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. last — finally
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stock — shares
  17. file — a document
  18. snap — to click
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. last — final
  22. stock — goods
  23. bear — the animal
  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