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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bass — low music
  6. bark — to shout
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. object — to protest
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mark — a trace
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. object — a thing
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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