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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 120 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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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: bay · chair · bark · wave · rock · ruler · cue · bowl

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rock — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ruler — a monarch

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