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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ground — a position
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bank — of a river
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rash — a series
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ground — crushed

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