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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. firm — decided
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — for golf
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — a company
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. firm — steady
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rest — a break
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — a group
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. snap — to click
  24. club — for dancing

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