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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. field — a subject
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. capital — money
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — in cards
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. field — for sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. field — farmland
  24. bowl — a dish

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