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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bound — certain
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bass — low music
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bass — the fish
  14. plane — a tool
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mate — a friend
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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