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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — hasty
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. shower — rain
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rash — a series
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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