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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — a path
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. tube — the underground
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bass — low music

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