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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cue — a hint
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. toast — bread
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cue — a signal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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