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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. root — of a word
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pit — a hole
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wax — in the ear

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