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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — in sport
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. spell — letters
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. spell — magic
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — a short time

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