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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fine — all right
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. file — a tool
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. file — a document

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