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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 116 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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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cold — an illness
  10. chair — a leader
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cold — not warm
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. lash — an eyelash

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