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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. land — ground
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. land — a country
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stock — shares
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. present — there
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bore — to tire
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. land — to come down
  22. present — the time now
  23. race — a contest
  24. lash — to lash out

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