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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. row — a line
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. game — a match

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