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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cap — of ice
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cap — a lid
  10. season — in sport
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. season — of the year
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. scale — in music
  21. pop — music
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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