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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — a container
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — electric
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. current — of water
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. current — happening now
  15. band — a ring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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