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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 120 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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bound — certain
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cold — not warm

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