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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bound — certain
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — the animal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rest — a break
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a committee
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. board — to get on

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