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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. field — for sport
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rest — a break
  9. fine — all right
  10. current — happening now
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. field — farmland
  18. fine — high quality
  19. current — of water
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. current — electric
  22. rest — what's left
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. field — a subject

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