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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 116 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 is an ace ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. season — in sport
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. season — of the year
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cap — a lid

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