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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. race — humankind
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. content — the amount
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. content — happy
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. race — a contest

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