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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a path
  3. rush — hurry
  4. tube — a container
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. spell — a short time
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — to protest
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. spell — letters

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