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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. charge — electricity
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mark — a trace
  7. race — humankind
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. race — a contest
  16. content — the amount
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. content — happy
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — on a finger

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