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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — the fish
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. staff — a stick
  17. band — a ring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a music group
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pit — in a race

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