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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — to confront
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pop — music

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