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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: kick · saw · bowl · mouse · bear · cap · board · wave

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. board — a committee
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cap — of ice
  11. kick — in football
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cap — a hat
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. board — to get on
  24. mouse — for a computer

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