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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. file — a line of people
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. spring — of water
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. file — a tool
  13. spring — the season
  14. file — a document
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mark — a trace

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