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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.

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: dip · wave · suit · mouse · kick · bowl · saw · spring

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. suit — clothes
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spring — of water
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kick — in football
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. spring — the season
  24. kick — with a leg

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