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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.

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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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468
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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pass — a permit
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. track — to keep track
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — a song
  21. stem — to come from
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. snap — to click

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