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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fine — all right
  11. mate — to breed
  12. present — the time now
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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