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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — in cards
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wake — a trail
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. swing — music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — animal skin
  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