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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — to recline
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. clip — a video
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. clip — to cut

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