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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. face — to point toward
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — thin
  21. face — to confront
  22. content — the amount
  23. face — part of the head
  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