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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
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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: mine · pop · rush · hide · racket · wave · rock · mark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — to visit
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mine — for digging

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