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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. current — happening now
  4. bat — the animal
  5. rock — music
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mug — a face
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. current — electric
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rock — a stone
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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