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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · kick · plane · hide · track · wound · deal · wave

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. track — a song
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wound — an injury
  16. kick — in football
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wound — an injury
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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