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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. court — for sport
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. court — of a king
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. shower — to wash
  21. court — of law
  22. shower — rain
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wax — to grow

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