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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wake — a trail
  4. firm — decided
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — the time now
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rock — music
  14. present — a gift
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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