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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. last — finally
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. content — the amount
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. dip — to sink
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — for digging
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — completely
  20. last — final
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — happy
  23. last — to go on
  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