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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ground — crushed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ground — a position
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ground — the earth
  18. game — a match
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. game — wild animals
  24. safe — out of danger

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