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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. drill — the tool
  6. track — to keep track
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. track — a song
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. drill — army training
  16. mine — for digging
  17. roll — a cake
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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