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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. current — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fall — the season
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — in music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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