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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. clip — a video
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. clip — for paper

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