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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.

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: ball · saw · season · mouse · mate · kick · foot · wave

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. season — in sport
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. season — of the year
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — in football
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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