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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. kid — child
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rock — music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. board — a committee
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. board — to get on
  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