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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bound — obliged
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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