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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rest — a break
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bass — low music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cue — a hint
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bass — the fish

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