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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ball — a dance
  11. roll — a list
  12. file — a line of people
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. file — a document
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — a part 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