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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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468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. land — ground
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. object — an aim
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. land — a country
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. dip — a sauce

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