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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. track — a path
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. drill — the tool
  10. swing — music
  11. drill — army training
  12. chip — to eat
  13. swing — to play on
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. board — to get on
  17. chip — for betting
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. swing — in golf
  24. track — a song

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