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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. degree — from a university
  3. rest — a break
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mark — a grade
  6. perch — the fish
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — a position
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ground — crushed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wave — with your hand

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