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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — a country
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. land — ground
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. land — to come down
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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