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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chest — a box
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. charge — in control
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — a price
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. charge — electricity

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