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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · pop · chair · stand · spring · mouse

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pop — music
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chair — a leader

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