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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mark — a grade
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. capital — a city
  9. swing — in golf
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. capital — money
  15. swing — music
  16. firm — a company
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mark — a trace
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. leaves — lets stay

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