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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. scale — size or range
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. can — a tin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. can — to be able to
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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