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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. current — electric
  19. firm — decided
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. root — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. firm — steady

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