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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: pop · row · wave · dip · cabinet · kick · mouse · toast

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — soda
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pop — music
  18. kick — in football
  19. row — a line
  20. toast — bread
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mouse — the animal

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