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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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. capital — a city
  4. ball — a great time
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. season — in sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. season — of the year
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mate — a friend
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — to breed
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. capital — money

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