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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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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: ball · wave · board · suit · season · pop · plane · mouse

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pop — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. season — of the year
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pop — soda
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — in sport
  19. board — a committee
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — 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