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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pop — soda
  3. board — a committee
  4. last — to go on
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. swing — to play on
  7. last — final
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — music
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — to get on
  12. object — a thing
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — an aim
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pop — to visit
  21. last — finally
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — music

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