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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bat — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bowl — a football final

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