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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. net — in sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. track — to keep track
  9. capital — a city
  10. track — a song
  11. land — to come down
  12. net — after costs
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. land — a country
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. land — ground
  23. track — a path
  24. net — for catching

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