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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. current — electric
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rock — music
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rock — a stone
  15. capital — a city
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bat — the animal
  19. current — happening now
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — of water
  23. capital — money
  24. wave — with your hand

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