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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. spring — the season
  6. kick — in football
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. file — a document
  9. mate — to breed
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spring — of water
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. spring — a coil
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mate — a friend
  18. file — a tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — a football final

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