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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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. lean — to bend
  3. rock — a stone
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. spring — of water
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — a series
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lean — thin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spring — the season

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