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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. spell — a short time
  7. present — a gift
  8. fine — all right
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — letters
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. degree — an amount
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. degree — temperature
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. spell — magic
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — of the sea

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