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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 116 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: rock · deal · squash · wave · tube · mark · board · bat

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. board — a committee
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — to get on
  14. bat — the animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. squash — to crush
  17. tube — a container
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. rock — a stone
  24. tube — in a tire

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