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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: bowl · date · craft · wave · present · bear · rock · pop

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pop — music
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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