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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. club — for dancing
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — for sport
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a round shape

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