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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wind — moving air
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. march — music
  24. scale — for weighing

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