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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — in a race
  3. land — ground
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. tube — a container
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a music group
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — the underground
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. land — a country
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. land — to come down

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