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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 120 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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. last — to go on
  3. content — the amount
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — there
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — happy
  11. saw — the tool
  12. last — finally
  13. present — a gift
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. present — the time now
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lean — thin
  24. last — final

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