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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — a tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — music
  11. season — of the year
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — the most important part
  20. swing — in golf
  21. land — ground
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. season — in sport

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