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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
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: wave · toast · cell · suit · dip · lean · game · ball

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. toast — bread
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. game — wild animals
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ball — a dance
  19. game — a match
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a great time
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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