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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — a song
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. spell — magic
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rest — what's left
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. rest — a break

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