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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. stand — to bear
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. perch — the fish
  10. row — a line
  11. charge — a price
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wound — an injury
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wound — an injury
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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