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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bound — certain
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bound — obliged
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. current — electric
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a match
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — of water
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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