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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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bass — low music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cap — a lid
  7. firm — a company
  8. fall — to drop
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fall — the season
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. firm — decided
  17. row — a line
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. row — to paddle
  21. firm — steady
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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