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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. track — a song
  11. pass — a permit
  12. row — to paddle
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chip — for betting
  17. track — a path
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. row — a line
  24. pass — to succeed

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