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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kid — to tease
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mate — to breed
  9. swing — music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. swing — to play on
  12. kid — child
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mate — a friend

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