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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — boats
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. deal — to handle
  15. object — an aim
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. object — to protest
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. cabinet — ministers

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