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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.

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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. 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. fine — high quality
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tube — a container
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitch — completely
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. 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