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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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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: mark · game · pop · bay · wave · safe · bowl · row

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. row — a line
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — a grade
  21. game — a match
  22. pop — soda
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pop — music

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