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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rest — a break
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kid — child
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cold — an illness
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cold — not warm
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. kid — to tease
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bass — low music
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. safe — out of danger

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