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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pop — music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pop — soda
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — for betting

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