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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 120 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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lean — thin
  4. cue — a hint
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rash — a series
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rash — hasty
  9. season — of the year
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. season — in sport
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cue — for pool
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. row — a line

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