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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 124 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — in music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. drill — army training
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. drill — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — a trail
  15. board — a committee
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. drill — a practice
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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