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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. firm — a company
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. firm — decided
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. firm — steady
  18. deal — to handle
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. deal — a big deal

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