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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pop — to visit
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — a tin
  13. file — a document
  14. can — to be able to
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pop — music
  19. file — a tool
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pop — soda
  24. can — a tin

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