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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. scale — in music
  8. stock — shares
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — goods
  12. kick — in football
  13. fork — in a road
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cap — of ice
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. cap — a lid

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