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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rest — a break
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — to bear
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. shower — rain
  19. mark — a trace
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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