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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — help
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cue — a hint
  11. court — of law
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. court — of a king
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. court — for sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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