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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. object — an aim
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. net — for catching
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. spring — the season
  8. present — the time now
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. net — in sport
  12. deal — to handle
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. object — to protest
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spring — of water
  20. object — a thing
  21. present — a gift
  22. net — after costs
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. present — there

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