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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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468
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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. season — in sport
  11. mate — a partner
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pit — in a race
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. season — of the year
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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