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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a great time
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. key — for a lock
  9. content — happy
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. spring — of water
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ball — a dance

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