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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. stock — goods
  9. net — after costs
  10. stock — shares
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mug — a face
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mug — a cup
  24. capital — a big letter

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