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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. face — to confront
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rock — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fork — in a road
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fine — high quality
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — for tennis

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