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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mark — a grade
  4. degree — temperature
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bass — low music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. degree — from a university

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