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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. can — a tin
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. root — of a word
  10. board — to get on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rock — music
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wave — of the sea

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