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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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. dip — to dunk
  3. track — to keep track
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. present — a gift
  8. track — a song
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. field — a subject
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. field — farmland
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. tube — a container
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. field — for sport

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