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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  3. bound — certain
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rash — hasty
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lean — thin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. key — in music
  23. wound — an injury
  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