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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.

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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cue — a hint
  10. content — happy
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mate — to breed
  14. land — ground
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lie — to recline
  17. content — the amount
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — to come down
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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