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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — the time now
  3. march — the month
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. march — the month
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mine — for digging
  12. march — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — music
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. branch — a division
  20. present — there
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — with your hand

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