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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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. file — a document
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. chair — a leader
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. dip — to dunk

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