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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chest — a box
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mug — a face
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — to rob
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. key — in music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bear — to put up with

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