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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. net — in sport
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hand — help
  6. net — after costs
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hand — in cards

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