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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. court — of law
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. charge — electricity
  12. court — of a king
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. charge — a price
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. snap — to click
  24. court — for sport

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