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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. land — ground
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. land — a country
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. land — to come down
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tear — to rip
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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