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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — to be able to
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bat — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. game — wild animals
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. game — a match
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. calf — of the leg

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