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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — a signal
  7. sharp — clever
  8. band — a ring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cue — a hint
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — for pool
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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