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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hand — in cards
  8. club — for golf
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. club — a group
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. hand — help
  13. rock — music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — to move gently

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