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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. firm — decided
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bat — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. season — in sport
  13. firm — steady
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. season — of the year
  19. bark — to shout
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fan — to cool the air

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