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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. charge — in control
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — a price
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. perch — the fish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hand — help
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bowl — to roll

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