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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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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — a container
  5. clip — to cut
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. tube — the underground
  9. charge — in control
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. clip — a video
  12. branch — a division
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — for paper
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ruler — for measuring

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