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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. content — the amount
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. content — happy
  6. race — a contest
  7. chest — a box
  8. root — the cause
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pass — a permit
  12. board — a committee
  13. race — humankind
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. root — of a word
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chest — of your body
  24. content — videos and posts

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