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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. swing — music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chip — to eat
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — for betting
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. nail — for a hammer

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