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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pop — to visit
  6. land — to come down
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pop — soda
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. snap — to click
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. land — ground

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