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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mate — a friend
  6. degree — temperature
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mug — a face
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mate — a partner
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. degree — an amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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