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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a song
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — in a race
  10. saw — the tool
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pit — a hole
  16. board — a committee
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. row — to paddle
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. row — a line

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