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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: mark · dip · bore · wound · wave · bear · arm · ball

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bore — to tire
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a great time
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bear — the animal

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