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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chest — a box
  10. mine — for digging
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wake — before a funeral

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