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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chest — of your body
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bank — for money
  14. chest — a box
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bass — low music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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