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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lean — to bend
  3. spring — of water
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lean — thin
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. spring — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. season — of the year
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spring — a coil
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ruler — a monarch

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