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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. game — a match
  5. lean — thin
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lean — to bend
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. game — wild animals
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mark — a trace
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. suit — clothes
  20. track — a path
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — a song
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. track — to keep track

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