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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. band — a music group
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pound — a weight
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — in football
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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