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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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468
Word bank
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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. mug — a face
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cell — in biology
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — in a race
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. mug — a cup
  20. degree — from a university
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — a hole
  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