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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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. bowl — to roll
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. band — a music group
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stem — to come from
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. band — a ring
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stem — a stem cell

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