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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. drill — the tool
  4. foot — a measure
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stock — shares
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stock — goods
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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