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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. object — to protest
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. track — a song
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spring — a coil
  11. track — a path
  12. spring — of water
  13. spell — magic
  14. spring — the season
  15. track — to keep track
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. object — an aim
  18. branch — a division
  19. spell — letters
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. spell — a short time
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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