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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. file — a line of people
  3. track — to keep track
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — a division
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — boats
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rush — hurry

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