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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mark — a trace
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. march — music
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pit — in a race
  24. march — the month

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