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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ground — a position
  3. march — the month
  4. fine — high quality
  5. saw — the tool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. deal — to handle
  18. march — the month
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ground — the earth
  21. roll — a list
  22. fine — all right
  23. march — music
  24. ground — crushed

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