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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. craft — boats
  4. chip — to eat
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. clip — a video
  9. firm — a company
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. clip — for paper
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — a position
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — decided
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — crushed
  24. firm — steady

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