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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: jam · bowl · mine · wound · lie · wave · stand · ball

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ball — a great time
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stand — on your feet

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