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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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. wave — of the sea
  4. root — of a plant
  5. board — a committee
  6. pop — music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pop — soda
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — the cause
  14. spell — magic
  15. root — of a word
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stock — goods
  18. spell — letters
  19. board — to get on
  20. pop — to visit
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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