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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mate — to breed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. march — music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — for catching
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. net — after costs
  22. bass — the fish
  23. net — in sport
  24. saw — the tool

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