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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. present — the time now
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. net — after costs
  13. game — a match
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. lean — thin
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. present — a gift
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. present — there
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bowl — to roll

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