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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — after costs
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rock — music
  11. field — for sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — for catching
  15. field — farmland
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. field — a subject
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. suit — to fit
  22. net — in sport
  23. court — for sport
  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