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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lie — to recline
  6. shower — to wash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — music
  23. current — electric
  24. wave — of the sea

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