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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. last — finally
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. deal — to handle
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chip — for betting
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stem — a stem cell

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