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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. club — for golf
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. club — a group
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rash — a series
  13. club — for dancing
  14. key — for a lock
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. capital — a city
  17. rest — a break
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. key — in music
  20. capital — money
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rest — what's left

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