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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a dance
  4. land — to come down
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — in cards
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. scale — in music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mug — a face
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mug — to rob

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