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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mug — a face
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a ring
  11. season — of the year
  12. mug — to rob
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pop — soda
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wave — of the sea

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