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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: season · wave · tube · mark · swing · ground · rock · bay

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ground — a position
  8. rock — music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rock — a stone
  12. season — in sport
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — music
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mark — a grade
  24. season — to add flavour

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