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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. game — a match
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spell — magic
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. suit — in cards
  15. game — wild animals
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — music
  19. rest — a break
  20. net — for catching
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. net — after costs

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