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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 124 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — to fit
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — in music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. saw — the tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fall — the season
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — clothes

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