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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. squash — the sport
  13. roll — a cake
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lie — to recline
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. roll — a list
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lie — an untruth

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