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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. race — the arms race
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. race — a contest
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. scale — in music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rash — a series
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rash — hasty
  21. race — humankind
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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