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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. can — to be able to
  5. present — there
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cue — for pool
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — to confront
  17. rest — a break
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — a penalty

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