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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. firm — a company
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. roll — a cake
  13. firm — decided
  14. rash — a series
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ground — a position
  22. roll — a list
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. roll — on a roll

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