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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. spring — the season
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — temperature
  14. roll — a list
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spring — of water
  21. degree — an amount
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mark — a trace

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