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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. scale — in music
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ball — a dance
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. chest — of your body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. scale — size or range

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