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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kid — child

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