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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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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: rush · cold · wave · mouse · kid · mark · bowl · ball

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kid — child
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cold — an illness
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kid — to tease
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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