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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. race — humankind
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lie — to recline
  9. board — a committee
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — goods
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. race — a contest
  15. rock — music
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. kid — child
  21. board — to get on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kid — to tease
  24. lie — an untruth

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