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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spring — of water
  9. mark — a trace
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hand — in cards
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spring — the season
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. track — to keep track
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spring — a coil

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