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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — of a word
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chest — a box
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — the cause
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chest — of your body
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. racket — for tennis

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