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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. field — farmland
  3. ground — crushed
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bound — tied together
  6. field — for sport
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. field — a subject
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ground — a position
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. key — in music
  24. bound — certain

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