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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pop — music
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. present — there
  5. season — of the year
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — in music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — a gift
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. season — in sport
  19. present — the time now
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pound — a weight
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pop — soda
  24. pound — to hit hard

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