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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. squash — to crush
  3. net — for catching
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. craft — boats
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. band — a music group
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. net — after costs
  15. cue — a hint
  16. squash — the sport
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cue — for pool
  21. band — a ring
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cue — a signal
  24. net — in sport

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