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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. content — happy
  12. rule — government
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. content — the amount
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mouse — the animal

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