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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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. game — a match
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. shower — to wash
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pitch — completely
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — all right
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. shower — rain
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mine — for digging
  24. nail — for a hammer

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