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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 124 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. capital — money
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. capital — a city
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mouse — the animal

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