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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a cake
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. roll — a list
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. court — for sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. court — of law
  18. chip — for betting
  19. court — of a king
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cell — in biology
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. chip — to eat

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