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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. game — wild animals
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. race — humankind
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — a country
  14. race — the arms race
  15. land — ground
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. race — a contest
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. land — to come down
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — music
  23. game — a match
  24. calf — a young animal

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