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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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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: mate · bear · swing · bay · calf · bowl · wake · wave

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mate — a friend
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bear — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wave — of the sea

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