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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rock — music
  8. spell — magic
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. spell — letters
  12. cue — a hint
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. cue — for pool
  15. toast — bread
  16. spell — a short time
  17. present — the time now
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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