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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 120 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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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 · object · bowl · race · rock · content · foot · sharp

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. race — a contest
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. object — an aim
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — happy
  10. rock — a stone
  11. sharp — clever
  12. object — to protest
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. object — a thing
  17. foot — a measure
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. race — humankind
  21. rock — music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. sharp — exactly

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