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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. chest — a box
  6. spell — a short time
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — low music
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. spell — magic
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — in golf

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