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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · wave · bowl · lean · cabinet · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. race — humankind
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. race — a contest
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fork — in a road
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lean — to rest against

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