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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 124 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. squash — the sport
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — to rob
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bass — low music
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mark — a grade
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bass — the instrument

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