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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. club — a group
  3. spring — the season
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. spring — of water
  6. object — to protest
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — a thing
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kid — child
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kid — to tease
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — for golf
  24. spring — a coil

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