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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — size or range
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lie — to recline
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ground — a position
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bear — 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