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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: fine · dip · rash · wave · branch · bowl · ball · ground

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ball — a great time
  5. branch — a division
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ground — a position
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ground — crushed
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ground — the earth

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