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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — in music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. hand — help
  7. fine — all right
  8. stem — to come from
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. hand — in cards
  24. court — of a king

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