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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. land — a country
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. object — a thing
  8. field — farmland
  9. object — to protest
  10. land — to come down
  11. object — an aim
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. key — the most important part
  15. field — for sport
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. land — ground
  18. row — a line
  19. field — a subject
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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