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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. band — a music group
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. band — a ring
  7. press — a publisher
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bark — to shout
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. press — to push
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. kid — child
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wave — with your hand

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