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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fall — the season
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. game — a match
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. game — wild animals

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