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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
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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: ball · wave · mine · rock · plane · lean · can · swing

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. swing — music
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. swing — in golf
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rock — music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — thin

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