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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. net — for catching
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fall — the season
  15. pop — music
  16. net — in sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — a break
  20. pop — to visit
  21. net — after costs
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pop — soda
  24. rest — what's left

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