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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mate — a partner
  6. roll — a cake
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. file — a tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. file — a document
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — for golf
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. roll — a list

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