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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bound — tied together
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — of a word
  6. hand — in cards
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spring — of water
  9. hand — help
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. kick — in football
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. root — the cause
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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