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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — to keep track
  3. fine — high quality
  4. field — farmland
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bound — tied together
  7. track — a song
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bound — certain
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. field — a subject
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. track — a path
  23. field — for sport
  24. wave — with your hand

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