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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. net — for catching
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. net — in sport
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. file — a tool
  21. net — after costs
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bowl — to roll

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