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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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468
Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — magic
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — to fit
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. row — a line
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — a short time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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