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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. field — farmland
  7. suit — to fit
  8. field — for sport
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. suit — in cards
  13. kid — child
  14. pop — to visit
  15. field — a subject
  16. pop — soda
  17. kid — to tease
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pop — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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