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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 124 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. scale — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. scale — size or range
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. snap — to click
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a music group
  20. kid — to tease
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. band — a ring

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