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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — a video
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — to keep track
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — in a road
  17. track — a song
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. track — a path
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bear — the animal

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