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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. 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. mark — a grade
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — for pool
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — a position
  8. mark — a trace
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cue — a signal
  13. land — ground
  14. ground — crushed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — a hint
  17. land — to come down
  18. 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