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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: wake · can · leaves · ball · ground · mine · wave · firm

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ground — a position
  18. ball — a great time
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. can — to be able to
  24. leaves — to go away

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