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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. degree — temperature
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. roll — a list
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. roll — a cake
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rest — what's left
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rest — a break
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. degree — from a university
  24. present — there

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