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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cell — in biology
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hand — in cards
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. tube — a container
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — steady
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. firm — a company
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. perch — the fish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. firm — decided
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cell — a phone
  24. nail — for a hammer

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