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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fine — all right
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — a trail
  20. spring — of water
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bear — the animal

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