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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. game — a match
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. club — a group
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. wave — with your hand

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