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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.

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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: bowl · wave · kick · plane · scale · mug · deal · wake

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. mug — a face
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — in football
  19. wake — a trail
  20. scale — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  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