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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — an aim
  5. band — a ring
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — to protest
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. plane — a tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — a thing
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — steady
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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