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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.

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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: jam · suit · wave · file · game · kick · bowl · key

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. suit — clothes
  7. key — for a lock
  8. file — a document
  9. key — the most important part
  10. file — a tool
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. key — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. game — a match
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. file — a line of people
  21. kick — in football
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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