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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bound — certain
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — letters
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. spell — magic
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. spell — a short time

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