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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — in music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. spring — a coil
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. degree — an amount
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. degree — temperature
  12. stock — shares
  13. scale — size or range
  14. spring — the season
  15. mug — a cup
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. degree — from a university
  24. spring — of water

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