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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. season — in sport
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — electric
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pop — soda
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. current — of water
  22. season — of the year
  23. current — happening now
  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