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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. march — the month
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. march — music
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. march — the month
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — high quality
  16. season — of the year
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — all right

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