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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · stick · game · bay · wave · present · rush · root

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. root — the cause
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. present — the time now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. game — wild animals
  12. present — a gift
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. game — a match
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — there
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. root — of a word
  24. rush — to hurry

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