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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. row — to paddle
  4. track — a song
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. degree — from a university
  7. row — a line
  8. bore — to drill
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. season — of the year
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. last — finally
  13. season — in sport
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. degree — an amount
  16. foot — a measure
  17. track — a path
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — temperature
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. last — final
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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