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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pit — in a race
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ground — crushed
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ground — a position
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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