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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. firm — a company
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cap — a lid
  12. firm — steady
  13. rest — a break
  14. march — the month
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pitch — completely
  18. hand — help
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. march — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. hand — in cards

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