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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. land — to come down
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. game — a match
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. season — of the year
  15. land — a country
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. season — in sport
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. land — ground

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