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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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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: toast · dip · wave · spell · bear · bowl · bat · ball

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spell — magic
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — bread

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