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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. last — finally
  5. club — for dancing
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. last — final
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. fall — to drop
  13. club — for golf
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. club — a group
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — clever
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. last — to go on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — a tool

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