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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 116 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wake — a trail
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bulb — for light
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. root — of a plant
  16. degree — an amount
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. root — the cause
  20. can — a tin
  21. root — of a word
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — a tool

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