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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.

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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: cap · bowl · march · racket · toast · wind · ball · wake

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. march — music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — a trail
  9. march — the month
  10. toast — bread
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. march — the month
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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