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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. roll — a list
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. net — for catching
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. scale — in music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. net — after costs
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. swing — music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. scale — size or range
  21. net — in sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ball — a great time

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