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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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Word bank
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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. game — wild animals
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rock — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. key — for a lock
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. key — in music
  14. game — a match
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rock — a stone
  19. spell — a short time
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wave — with your hand

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