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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · mouse · wave · fine · file · mark · ball · can

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. kick — in football
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fine — all right
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. can — to be able to
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a document
  24. can — a tin

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