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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. track — a path
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. track — to keep track
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hide — animal skin

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