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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. row — to paddle
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. firm — decided
  18. track — a song
  19. firm — steady
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. track — a path

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