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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rock — music
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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