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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pass — a permit
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. craft — boats
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — a phone
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cell — in a prison

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