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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — in music
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — the sport
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cap — a hat
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. cap — of ice
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. squash — to crush

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