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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. arm — a part of something
  3. spring — the season
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. suit — in cards
  6. roll — a list
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — of the year
  9. spring — of water
  10. wake — a trail
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spring — a coil
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. season — in sport
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bear — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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