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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bass — low music
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a ring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stock — goods
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stock — shares
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. band — a music group
  16. ground — a position
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bass — the instrument

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