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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. game — a match
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — a safe
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lean — to bend
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pop — soda
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — to visit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — wild animals
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pop — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  24. lean — to rest against

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