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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. content — the amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. content — happy
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. kick — in football
  15. degree — an amount
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mouse — the animal

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