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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a document
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cap — a hat
  14. capital — a city
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cap — of ice
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. capital — money
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. file — a tool

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