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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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468
Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fork — in a road
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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