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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. season — in sport
  6. ball — a dance
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. firm — steady
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. saw — the tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. suit — to fit
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. net — for catching

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