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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fall — to drop
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. capital — a city
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. track — a song
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — in a race
  21. track — a path
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fall — 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