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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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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: suit · wave · saw · board · ball · kid

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. board — to get on
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kid — to tease
  14. board — a committee
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. kid — child
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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