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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 · game · plane · mouse · craft · bear · cabinet · hide

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — boats
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. game — a match
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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