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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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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. squash — the sport
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. object — a thing
  6. squash — to crush
  7. lean — thin
  8. rule — government
  9. ground — a position
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lean — to bend
  13. march — the month
  14. ground — crushed
  15. object — to protest
  16. march — the month
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. march — music
  21. object — an aim
  22. rule — a law
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — to rule out

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