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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — to protest
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. game — a match
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — employees
  18. key — the most important part
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — wild animals
  22. object — an aim
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. snap — to click

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