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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mug — a cup
  3. ball — a great time
  4. snap — to click
  5. mug — a face
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rush — hurry
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rock — a stone
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — music
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wave — of the sea

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