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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pitch — completely
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cap — a lid
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spell — magic
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. lie — an untruth

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