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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. march — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pound — a weight
  10. march — the month
  11. track — a path
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. wave — of the sea

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