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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — shares
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. stock — goods
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — to eat
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. vault — a safe
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. deal — to handle

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