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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 116 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: chair · bowl · wave · dip · fork · court · present · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. court — of law
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. court — of a king
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. present — there
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. suit — to fit
  23. present — a gift
  24. wave — with your hand

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