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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 mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — soda
  5. wake — a trail
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pop — music
  11. file — a document
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. key — in music
  16. bank — for money
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bear — to put up with

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