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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: wave · bulb · ball · lie · wake · wind · toast · present

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. present — the time now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. present — there
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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