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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bound — tied together
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. suit — clothes
  13. scale — in music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rash — hasty
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. scale — size or range
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bound — obliged
  24. scale — for weighing

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