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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. spring — of water
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wind — moving air
  15. game — a match
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wind — moving air

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