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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: stick · mug · wake · wave · hide · suit · lean · ball

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mug — a face
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ball — a great time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — thin
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wake — a trail
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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