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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. tube — a container
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tube — the underground
  8. face — part of the head
  9. track — a song
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — a path
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. face — to confront
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wake — a trail

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