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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: cabinet · sharp · rock · suit · spring · perch · wave · ball

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spring — a coil
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a great time
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cabinet — ministers

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