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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. band — a ring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. season — of the year
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — in sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a music group

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