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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. craft — a skill
  6. content — the amount
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. clip — to cut
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. clip — a video
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. content — happy
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. clip — for paper

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